ENG vs IND: The series is locked at 1-1 and that makes this Test match all the more crucial, given that the team winning this game gets an unassailable lead. India winning at Lord’s while England bouncing back at Headingley increased the drama.
Here’s the line ups:
INDIA: Rishabh Pant (wk), KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli (c), Mohammed Siraj, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, Ajinkya Rahane.
ENGLAND: Joe Root (c), Jonny Bairstow (wk), Chris Woakes, Ollie Pope, James Anderson, Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns, Moeen Ali, Ollie Robinson, Craig Overton, Dawid Malan.
England won the toss and decided to bowl first.
What to expect from the pitch.
Traditionally the Oval pitch offers a little something for everyone. There is usually bounce and carry for the quicker bowlers while it tends to spin on days four and five as well. In between times, it is typically a nice surface on which to bat. All the indications are that the pitch for this game will follow a similar pattern although the day before the match, there was more of a green tinge to it than might be normal. The forecast is set fair for the first four days of the game although there is a chance of rain on day five. It is live grass on the pitch. Tennis ball bounce is seen on the OVAL.
What is said? ENG vs IND 4th test.
“Some of the stuff the opposition possibly do is just to get at us or get us to play differently, and I think I’m quite good at controlling that. I just try to do the same no matter what. I’ve got friends on the opposition team. On the field, we play hard but I won’t let a cricket game get in the way of me and my teammates or the opposition. I think about who I’m representing, my family, my parents,” Moeen Ali, England’s new vice-captain, on bringing his own kind of cool to proceedings
“We’ve done it [bounced back] in the past. We’ve been bowled out for 36 and bounced back from that. Even in India, it was a big defeat that we suffered to England so we have our ways to bounce back. We’ve done it in the past and we can take the confidence of what we’ve done in the past and I am sure you’ll see a much more spirited performance in the Test matches.” Bharat Arun, India’s bowling coach, on India’s bouncebackability.
Did you know? ENG vs IND 4th test.
– India has won only 1 of their 13 Tests at the Oval – way back in 1971. They have lost each of their last three Tests here including two innings defeats
– The Oval has been the most spin-friendly venue in England in the recent past and the last five Tests have seen 50 wickets fall to spin. R. Ashwin too claimed 6/27 during his one-game stint with Surrey this season.
– The Oval is where James Anderson averages the most per wicket among English venues in Test cricket. It is one of the venues where he hasn’t yet taken a five-wicket haul.
